GreenBlue is a citizens group established for the purposes of:  building understanding of the ecology, hydrology, First Nations rights, and human uses and issues in the watersheds in and around North Cowichan  working with others, including First Nations, local government and evolving advisory (e.g. Round Tables) or governance structures for watershed management (e.g. watershed board), to develop approaches to ensure healthy and biologically rich watersheds for future generations with the focus on the development and implementation of an integrated watershed management plan.

Membership

Membership is open to all.

Geographic Scope:

The geographic scope includes the following watersheds:

 All of Holland Lake and Creek with all its tributaries from headwaters to estuary  Stocking Lake and Creek from headwaters to estuary Rocky Creek  Bush Creek  Banon Creek from headwaters to point of diversion into Holland Lake

Activities:

Activities, consistent with the purposes of the Group, will be determined by the membership. The primary focus is on activities that will help to build a watershed management plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the activities may include such things as:

 speaker series including programs on watersheds and ecology  community meetings including collaboration with First Nations  field trips and watershed tours in collaboration with forest land owners and local government  inventory and watershed data collection and monitoring in support of an integrated land use plan  building a community understanding and support for applying multi-party planning and dispute resolution to help clarify and resolve issues  collaboration with levels of government to help build appropriate structures for effective integrated watershed planning, and ongoing management (e.g. advisory groups such as Round Tables or new governance structures)  other activities as determined by membership

Structure and Decision Making

The CNWCG is an informal organization guided by a core group of volunteers that will set agendas, activities, and citizen priorities for discussion and action (we care currently reviewing the potential to evolve into a society).

The membership will nominate, on an annual basis, an individual(s) to represent the coalition on a round table or watershed governance structure but all members are welcome to attend these meetings.

Meetings will be conducted based on a code of conduct which is respectful, honest and issue focused. All viewpoints are to be encouraged, respected and considered.

Decision making is by consensus where the goal is full consensus where all members agree and fully support the decision. A working consensus is defined as a decision that is not supported fully but all members can agree to live with it. A full or working consensus is required before decisions or recommendations will come forward from the Coalition.